Actin is involved in the organization of the Golgi complex and Golgi-to-ER protein transport in mammalian cells. Little, however, is known about the regulation of the Golgi-associated actin cytoskeleton. We provide evidence that Cdc42, a small GTPase that regulates actin dynamics, controls Golgi-to-ER protein transport. We located GFP-Cdc42 in the lateral portions of Golgi cisternae and in COPI-coated and noncoated Golgi-associated transport intermediates. Overexpression of Cdc42 and its activated form Cdc42V12 inhibited the retrograde transport of Shiga toxin from the Golgi complex to the ER, the redistribution of the KDEL receptor, and the ER accumulation of Golgi-resident proteins induced by the active GTP-bound mutant of Sar1 (Sar1[H79G]). Coexpression of wild-type or activated Cdc42 and N-WASP also inhibited Golgi-to-ER transport, but this was not the case in cells expressing Cdc42V12 and N-WASP(ΔWA), a mutant form of N-WASP that lacks Arp2/3 binding. Furthermore, Cdc42V12 recruited GFP-N-WASP to the Golgi complex. We therefore conclude that Cdc42 regulates Golgi-to-ER protein transport in an N-WASP–dependent manner

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and primary cause of cancer-related mortality in women. The identification of risk factors can improve prevention of cancer, and obesity and hypercholesterolemia represent potentially modifiable breast cancer risk factors. In the present work, we review the progress to date in research on the potential role of the main cholesterol transporters, low-density and high-density lipoproteins (LDL and HDL), on breast cancer development. Although some studies have failed to find associations between lipoproteins and breast cancer, some large clinical studies have demonstrated a direct association between LDL cholesterol levels and breast cancer risk and an inverse association between HDL cholesterol and breast cancer risk. Research in breast cancer cells and experimental mouse models of breast cancer have demonstrated an important role for cholesterol and its transporters in breast cancer development. Instead of cholesterol, the cholesterol metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol induces the proliferation of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells and facilitates metastasis. Oxidative modification of the lipoproteins and HDL glycation activate different inflammation-related pathways, thereby enhancing cell proliferation and migration and inhibiting apoptosis. Cholesterol-lowering drugs and apolipoprotein A-I mimetics have emerged as potential therapeutic agents to prevent the deleterious effects of high cholesterol in breast cancer.

In this study, we report the formation of several cytoplasmic inclusion bodies composed of filamentous actin (F-actin) and generated by experimental treatments using depolymerizing or stabilizing actin toxins in neuronal and non-neuronal mammalian cell lines. The actin-stabilizing toxin jasplakinolide (Jpk) induced, in a microtubule-dependent manner, a single, large F-actin aggregate, which contained β- and γ-actin, ADF/cofilin, cortactin, and the actin nucleator Arp2/3. This aggregate was tightly associated with the Golgi complex and mitochondria, and was surrounded by vimentin intermediate filaments, microtubules and MAP4. Therefore, the Jpk-induced single, large F-actin aggregate fits the established criteria for being considered an aggresome. Lysosomes and/or autophagic vacuoles, proteasomes and microtubules were found to directly participate in the dissolution of this F-actin aggresome. Finally, the model reported here is simple, highly reproducible and reversible, and it provides an opportunity to test pharmacological agents that interfere with the formation, maintenance and/or disappearance of F-actin-enriched pathological inclusion bodies.

Cholesterol mediates its proliferative and metastatic effects via the metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-HC), at least in breast and endometrial cancer. We determined the serum lipoprotein profile, intratumoral cholesterol and 27-HC levels in a cohort of patients with well-differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC; low/intermediate and high risk), advanced thyroid cancers (poorly differentiated, PDTC and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, ATC) and benign thyroid tumors, as well as the expression of genes involved in cholesterol metabolism. We investigated the gene expression profile, cellular proliferation, and migration in Nthy-ori 3.1 and CAL-62 cell lines loaded with human low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Patients with more aggressive tumors (high-risk PTC and PDTC/ATC) showed a decrease in blood LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B. These changes were associated with an increase in the expression of the thyroid’s LDL receptor, whereas 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase and 25-hydroxycholesterol 7-alpha-hydroxylase were downregulated, with an intratumoral increase of the 27-HC metabolite. Furthermore, LDL promoted proliferation in both the Nthy-ori 3.1 and CAL-62 thyroid cellular models, but only in ATC cells was its cellular migration increased significantly. We conclude that cholesterol and intratumoral accumulation of 27-HC promote the aggressive behavior process of PTC. Targeting cholesterol metabolism could be a new therapeutic strategy in thyroid tumors with poor prognosis.

Numerous studies conducted in a diversity of adult tissues have shown that certain stem cells are characterized by the expression of a protein known as the ABCG2 transporter (where ABC is ATP- binding cassette). In the adult pancreas, although various multipotent progenitors have been proposed, the ABCG2 marker has only been detected in the so-called 'side population' (a primitive haematopoietic cell population with a multipotential capacity). In the present study we sought to identify new ABCG2+ pancreatic cell populations and to explore whether they exhibit the properties of progenitor cells. We isolated and expanded mitoxantrone-resistant cells from pancreata of lactating rats by drug selection. These cells were characterized and maintained in different stages of differentiation using several media 'cocktails' plus Matrigel (BD Biosciences). Differentiation was assessed by RT-PCR (reverse transcription-PCR), immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy and ELISA. The expanded cell population demonstrated a phenotype of PaSCs (pancreatic stellate cells). Spontaneous cell clusters occurred during cell expansion and they showed weak expression of the transcription factor Pdx1 (pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1). Moreover, the presence of inductive factors in the Matrigel plus exendin-4 led to an increase in Pdx1 and endocrine genes, such as insulin, islet amyloid polypeptide, glucagon, the glucose transporter GLUT2, chromogranin A and the convertases PC1/3 and PC2 were also detected. Immunocytochemical analysis showed co-localization of insulin and C-peptide, whereas ultrastructural studies revealed the presence of granules. Insulin secretion from cell clusters was detected in the cell culture medium. We identified a population of PaSCs that express the ABCG2+ transporter and have the capacity to transdifferentiate into insulin-producing cells. Although the potential therapeutic application remains to be tested, PaSCs could represent a future option for insulin replacement in diabetes research.

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Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent) is a multifactorial disease with polygenic susceptibility. The major genetic component (IDDM1) resides within the HLA region, but several non-HLA loci have been implicated in the genetic susceptibility. In the present study, we have analysed two such loci, IDDM12 (CTLA4) on 2q33 and IDDM13 on 2q34, in Danish (n = 254) and Spanish (n = 39) type 1 diabetic multiplex families. No significant evidence of linkage of IDDM12 was observed in any of the two studied data sets. However, when the present data were combined with previously published data, they strengthened the evidence of linkage at this locus, p = 0.00002. For the IDDM13 region, we found some positive evidence of linkage of the D2S137-D2S164-D2S1471 markers (p-values 0.007, 0.02, and 0.007, respectively) using transmission disequilibrium testing (TDT) and the Tsp version of the TDT. Importantly, random transmission of all tested alleles was observed in unaffected offspring (p > 0.3). Stratification for HLA (high risk and non-high risk genotypes) in the Danish families did not reveal heterogeneity at IDDM12 or IDDM13. In conclusion, our data on an entirely new family data set did not support the existence of IDDM12 as a type 1 diabetes susceptibility locus in the Danish population. In addition, we found support for evidence of linkage and association of the IDDM13/D2S137-D2S1471 region (approximately 3.5 cM) to type 1 diabetes, however, further studies are needed to substantiate this observation.

Tumor malignancy is associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and resistance to chemotherapy. However, little is known about the relationship between the EMT and the multidrug-resistance gene in thyroid tumor progression. We investigated whether the expression of the ABCG2/BCRP gene is associated with ZEB1 and other EMT inducer genes involved in tumor dedifferentiation. We established a subpopulation of cells that express the ABCG2/BCRP gene derived from the thyroid papillary carcinoma cell line (TPC-1), the so-called TPC-1 MITO-resistant subline. The most relevant findings in these TPC-1 selected cells were a statistically significant upregulation of ZEB1 and TWIST1 (35-and 15-fold change respectively), no changes in the relative expression of vimentin and SNAIL1, and no expression of E-cadherin. The TPC-1 MITO-resistant subline displayed a faster migration and greater invasive ability than parental cells in correlation with a significant upregulation of the survivin (BIRC5) gene (twofold change, P!0.05). The knockdown of ZEB1 promoted nuclear re-expression of E-cadherin, reduced expression of vimentin, N-cadherin, and BIRC5 genes, and reduced cell migration (P!0.05). Analysis of human thyroid carcinoma showed a slight overexpression of the ABCG2/BCRP at stages I and II (P!0.01), and a higher overexpression at stages III and IV (P!0.01). SNAIL1, TWIST1, and ZEB1 genes showed higher expression at stages III and IV than at stages I and II. E-and N-cadherin genes were upregulated at stages I and II of the disease (ninefold and tenfold change, respectively, P!0.01) but downregulated at stages III and IV (fourfold lower, P!0.01). These results could be a promising starting point for further study of the role of the ABCG2/BCRP gene in the progression of thyroid tumor.